Class: Grade 8, General Science Unit: Volcanoes Topic: Mineral Identification
Instructional Objectives:
Define minerals and explain each of the physical properties that can be used to identify them; color, luster, hardness, streak, density, crystal shape, cleavage and fracture.
Identify unknown minerals using physical properties.
Introduction:
I decided to follow the lesson about the classes of rocks with this lesson on minerals because minerals are the building blocks of rocks. I will review with the students that the reason why we are learning how to identify minerals has to do with us learning how to analyze volcanic rock.
I will say, “Although minerals appear to have no direct connection to volcanoes, learning how to identify them helps us to better understand rocks themselves. Having a good understanding of rocks allows scientists to understand how they formed and how this formation process can help scientists learn about specific volcanoes and how they erupt. Today we will learn about the individual properties of minerals and then you will work in small groups to identify unknown minerals based on these physical properties.”
I will introduce the class discussion about minerals by passing out samples of rock that we looked at in the last class and asking the students to make observations about what they think the "ingredients" are in these rocks. They will observe that many rocks have what looks like similar "specks" fused together into a bigger rock, but perhaps in different quantities. The main idea is for the students to realize that the minerals we will be looking at in today's class are the components that make up the rocks we looked at yesterday. From here the class will discuss and take notes on what minerals are and the physical properties that can be used to identify them.
Activities & Assignments:
20 minutes: Class discussion and notes on what a mineral is and which physical properties scientists use to identify them and what each of these physical properties are.
45 minutes: Experiment - Working in small groups, students will carefully test and observe unknown mineral samples' physical properties to identify them. Students will create a data table of their results and then using this data, students will use the Mineral Identification Key to determine each of the minerals names.
15 minutes: Review - Groups will take turns identifying each mineral out loud. Teacher will provide correct answers using key if none of the groups identified a sample correctly.
5 minutes: Clean up.
12 minutes: Students will complete the Identifying Minerals Worksheet below.
Materials Needed:
Textbooks
Mineral Identification Keys
Sets of common mineral samples - numbered
streak plates
hardness kits containing (copper penny, steel nail, piece of glass)
magnets
Resources for Lesson:
Maton, A, Hopkins, J, Johnson, S, & LaHart, D (1993). Dynamic Earth. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Earth Science Binder of worksheets - Saddleback Publishing, Inc. 2006.
Unit: Volcanoes
Topic: Mineral Identification
Instructional Objectives:
Introduction:
I decided to follow the lesson about the classes of rocks with this lesson on minerals because minerals are the building blocks of rocks. I will review with the students that the reason why we are learning how to identify minerals has to do with us learning how to analyze volcanic rock.
I will say, “Although minerals appear to have no direct connection to volcanoes, learning how to identify them helps us to better understand rocks themselves. Having a good understanding of rocks allows scientists to understand how they formed and how this formation process can help scientists learn about specific volcanoes and how they erupt. Today we will learn about the individual properties of minerals and then you will work in small groups to identify unknown minerals based on these physical properties.”
I will introduce the class discussion about minerals by passing out samples of rock that we looked at in the last class and asking the students to make observations about what they think the "ingredients" are in these rocks. They will observe that many rocks have what looks like similar "specks" fused together into a bigger rock, but perhaps in different quantities. The main idea is for the students to realize that the minerals we will be looking at in today's class are the components that make up the rocks we looked at yesterday. From here the class will discuss and take notes on what minerals are and the physical properties that can be used to identify them.
Activities & Assignments:
Materials Needed:
Resources for Lesson:
Maton, A, Hopkins, J, Johnson, S, & LaHart, D (1993). Dynamic Earth. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Earth Science Binder of worksheets - Saddleback Publishing, Inc. 2006.
Minerals Worksheet
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